For homeless people this graph shows some really bad news. Those living in Texas or Pennsylvania or North Carolina are out of luck. Those in Ohio, Illinois, California or Arizona will have safety net insurance to avoid years of debt for one encounter with the local emergency room. These blue colored states from above graph may be able to expand mental health care and alcohol treatment centers with the cost savings from not having to provide emergency room care to those without insurance. Hospitals in the blue states from the graph will have a reason to expand preventative care and to not discharge sick people to the shelters. Because you happen to live in one of the Red States above you will not have the ability to access affordable health insurance.

Studies in the past have never found that people moved to a state because the government benefits were better. I have to believe that this will change with the Affordable Care Act disparity that is developing. Health care is such a big contributor to homelessness and destablizing a family that I have to believe that people will move to a state that has expanded Medicaid. Many states are going to be left behind with the decision to not accept expanded Medicaid.